All Who Remain
by Khaotik Mined
Summary: Rick's little sister left home and didn't look back. What happens when the things that made her run suddenly became a part of her survival? Some AU later on but you'll see why. Rated M for sex, drugs and violence. I own absolutely none of Walking Dead. With the exception of my OCs in the story, everything belongs to the brilliant Frank Darabount. Please enjoy and review
1. Chapter 1

**So I got this idea for a Shane story. I hope y'all like it. I'll post the first few chapters and wait for some reviews. Let me know what ya think!**

* * *

**_6 weeks earlier_**

_"SHANE!" the young dark haired beauty squealed as she took off in a run toward the deputy. She jumped into his waiting arms as he spun her around. "What are you doin here?" she asked when he set her back down. _

_"Hey baby girl. We gotta talk for a minute, Nic." His face was deadly serious. Nicole frowned slightly as he led her to a stone bench. The two sat down. She grabbed his hand, sensing something was wrong. _

_"You're scarin me Shane. What's goin on?" She asked. _

_"It's Rick. We were involved in a shoot-out and he was hit." He stared at his hands, she noticed they were shaking. Her panic started to rise. _

_"How bad? Is he. . ." she couldn't bring herself to finish that sentence._

_"He's in a coma. The doctors can't tell us much more. Ya gotta come home with me." He tells her. "We need you." _

_She paused. She hadn't been home since she graduated college. She avoided that place and all its memories like the plague. Hell, half the time she avoided her own family. _

_"I don't know Shane. I gotta lot of stuff piled up on my desk. We have serious deadlines comin' up." She stands and turns away from him, not able to look at the pain on his face. _

_"You're his sister. You gotta be there for him." Shane whispers. "If anyone's gonna help him come back to us, it's you. He misses you every day." _

_"Shane, I left for a reason. Rick is my brother and I love him but I don't know if I can go back to that place." She tried to plead with him, make him see how scared of that place she was. _

_"Yeah, ok. I get it. Your life here is better. Just forget I said anything. Lori will call you with an update." His voice turned cold and he stood up. "Carl misses you too." _

_Her heart broke at those words. She missed her brother and nephew something fierce. They were the only thing that could bring her back to King's County. She sighed, defeated. _

_"Fine. Come with me to the office so I can pick up some work before I go. I mean it Shane, if there's trouble back home, I'm blaming you. She better not start with me or so help me, I'll beat the holy hell outta her." She turns to walk away. He stands there stunned; knowing this had been a long shot. "Well let's go. Don't stand there with your mouth hangin' open." She turns on her heel and marches off. _

* * *

**_3 days later_**

_"You're jokin' right?" She shouts down the hall way at her sister in law as the brunette stomps away. _

_"God, I hate that woman!" Nicole stomped her own foot and turned back into the family waiting area. The nurses stare at her, having witnessed the little outburst. Nicole mumbled an apology to the mean looking nurse behind the desk before heading over to Shane and Carl. _

_"Auntie Nikki, where'd mom go?" Carl looked at her with big, bright eyes. She looked over his head at Shane. He gave her a ghost of a smile. He was paler than normal and thinner, she was starting to worry about him. _

_"She just needed a break honey. This whole thing has been tough on her." She fought the urge to roll her eyes and laugh at her lie. She knew where Lori was going. Everyone knew Lori cheated on Rick. Rick even knew; he just couldn't face it. Divorce wasn't an option. "Why don't you get ready? JoAnna will be here any minute." She found herself thanking God for the older woman that had lived next door to the Grimes since Carl was born. Nicole couldn't stand the thought of her nephew keeping vigil at Rick's side with her. Carl disappeared into Rick's room to grab his things and Nicole reached out for Shane's hand. _

_"Y'all right there officer?" She asked him, moving into Carl's vacated seat to be closer. He slid his arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him. _

_"I just don't understand what she's thinkin. I mean, I get that you two have history but he's her husband for God's sake." He mumbles into her hair. She gets a small thrill down her spine. _

_"I don't wanna talk about her anymore. Do you wanna run and get something to eat? I could use a change of scenery." She really just wants to make sure he eats something finally. _

_"Yeah, I gotta head into work in a few hours, might as well eat something now." He tells her before he stands up. Carl comes back through the door from his dad's room, joining them in the lobby. Shane helps him get his coat on as Nicole checks in with Nurse Meanie to let her know where they were going in case a miracle happened. _

_The trio walks outside into the chilly night just as JoAnna pulled up to the entrance. Nicole drops down in front of Carl. _

_"We'll get through this kiddo. No matter what. I ain't goin' anywhere." She kisses his cheek and opens the door for him. Shane stands with her as the car pulls away and they head out to the café._

* * *

**Present Day**

The hot, spring sun beat down on the water and the reflection was almost unbearable. Nicole sat on a log at the edge of the small lake. She washed laundry for over an hour with Jacqui.

"Let me guess, you're stuck doing Shane's laundry again?" Jacqui asked her, noticing the annoyance on the younger girl's face.

"Of course. Ya know his ass can't be bothered to do it. He's a sneaky bastard too. This time, he emptied out my laundry bag, filled the bottom with his clothes and stuck mine on top. I wondered why it seemed like the bag filled up overnight." Nicole huffed, tossing another shirt into a basket sitting next to her. She wiped the sweat off of her tan forehead.

"I think next time you should just throw his dirty clothes right back in his tent. Let that shit bake in the hot sun all day, it will take forever to air out. He won't do it again." Jacqui laughed loudly.

Nicole shook her head with a smile. Out of the corner of her eye, a small bundle of energy bounded down the hill followed slowly by her sister-in-law. The irritation she already felt grew into a very audible groan. Jacqui turned to see what had interrupted their rare relaxed moment. She leaned on her elbow, bowing her head in frustrated when she sees Lori heading their way.

"This should be fun." Jacqui whispered. Carl reached them at full speed, a look of excitement on his face.

"Auntie Nikki, will you go swimming with me? I'm sweaty!" He asked in an almost giddy voice.

"I gotta get these clothes out on the line and if I'm all done with enough time to spare, I'll run back down here and we'll swim." She ruffled his shaggy hair. "I like your hair long. It's kinda cute ya know?"

"Mom wants me to cut it." He whined a little. "Tell her she's wrong."

"Oh no, I ain't gettin in to it with your ma over that." She shook her head and finished scrubbing Shane's shirt before tossing it in the basket. "Go swim over there; I don't want your dirt all over my clothes. Don't go outta my sight though. Got me young man?"

Carl splashed her before running off along the shore. She growled at him as he made it out of her arm's reach. He laughed and stuck his tongue out at her. She watched Lori make faces at the interaction between her son and his aunt. The older woman sat down on the other side of Jacqui. The two exchanged pleasant greetings while Nicole ignored her.

Nicole hurried to finish washing her clothes and leave. She wordlessly packed up the basket full of her clothes and Shane's before marching back up to camp. Dale waved to her from his normal perch on top of the RV as she made her way back up the hill. She dropped the heavy basket onto a chair next to her tent and started pinning clothes out on the line. She finished hanging them fairly quickly and contemplated tossing Shane's still wet clothes into the dirt. She sighed, knowing full well she'll hang them up for him.

The dark-haired man chose that moment to walk through the door of the RV, slamming the screen against the side of the vehicle. Leave it to Shane to make his presence known. He walked over to her, a cocky half-smile on his face.

"Whatcha doin beautiful?" He greeted her as she hung a pair of his boxer shorts.

"Some son of a bitch threw his dirty clothes in with mine again. Next time I should just throw 'em into the lake. See how he likes digging his shit outta there." She gave him a look from around one of his shirts.

"Damn, sounds like a real dick. You just let me know when you figure out who it is." She smacked him with a wet tank-top before throwing it at him. He barely caught it before it hit the ground. She turned to walk away from him without finishing.

"Do your own fucking laundry deputy." She called out with a wave. He jogged over to cut her off.

"Aww sweetheart. Don't do this to me. Ya know you're the only one that can hang my clothes up the proper way. I'd die if you just walked away now." He over-exaggerated with both hands over his heart and puppy-dog eyes. She pushed him away and started walking again, a confident smile forming on her lips.

He dropped to his knees in the dirt. "Please Nic. Please do my laundry. If you walk away now, who knows what will become of me. You won't leave me like this will ya?" She heard chuckles from Glenn and Jim who are nearby and working on Shane's jeep, checking the fluids.

"Knock it off, jerk. You're making a scene. You owe me asshole." She stomped over and began tossing the rest of his laundry over the line. He jumped up in one swift movement and leaned over to give her a kiss on the side of her head. A shiver ran down her spine and she hoped he didn't see it.

"You see Lori anywhere around?" He asked expectantly, she sighed dejectedly and pointed toward the lake, sending him on his way. He turned away, walking toward the hill. A toothpick hung from the corner of his mouth in that sexy way Nicole liked.

She finished hanging his laundry and checked in with Amy and Andrea to make sure they could handle dinner before heading back to the lake for a swim with Carl. Stopping in her tent to grab a pair of shorts and a tank top, she laughed at her perfectly packed luggage. She was one of the lucky ones, when the world fell apart she was already packed for an apocalypse. She lived out of a hotel room for months, waited for her miracle. One she never got. She waited at that horrible hospital putting up with her whore sister-in-law the entire time; just to lose her brother in the end anyway.


	2. Chapter 2

Nicole and Carl walked up the hill as the sun dipped below the hills. Warm water trailed from her hair down her back and legs but in the remaining heat, it felt refreshing. Carl didn't stop talking all the way up the hill, telling her a story about something stupid Shane did before she made it back to go swimming with him. She smiled the entire way enjoying the time they got to spend together. He was growing up to look so much like his father it almost pained her to look at him. She missed her brother something fierce.

"Where were you?" Lori marched over to the two of them, an irritated expression on her face. Nicole sighed.

"We were swimming down in the lake." She tried to explain.

"Wasn't asking you Nicole, I wanted to know where my son was." Lori held her hand up.

"Carl, give me a minute with your ma, go get changed and get some food hu?" Nicole didn't look away from Lori. Lori's face showed a tiny bit of fear.

"Don't you tell _my _son what to do. Who do you think you are?" Lori spit out.

"Lori, I'm not fightin with you again tonight. We were swimmin, you're mad. Don't take it out on Carl when he didn't do anything in the first place." Nicole argued.

"You're not his mother. You're barely his aunt without Rick here. I don't have to let you see him, you're no good for him. Caleb told me all about . . ." Lori began before Nicole slapped her.

"My brother is dead and that is the only piece of him I still have. I dare you to take my nephew from me. I'm sorry you had to leave your fuck buddy behind so that your dumb ass could be spared. Next time, I won't make the same mistake." Nicole walked a short distance away before turning around. "And if you ever speak his name again, Carl really will be an orphan." Her words ended the argument effectively.

Daryl and Merle Dixon laughed at her as she walked toward them.

"Nice one sugar tits." Merle drawled at her before laughing harder. Daryl rolled his eyes.

"Yer hand ok?" He asked her seriously. She was the only one to get along with the two rednecks.

"Yeah, not that I would have cared if it shattered, as long as she would have been knocked on her ass." She answered him, showing him that her hand was fine. He handed her a plate of food as she plopped down next to him on the log.

"Don't damage her pretty face. She needs that to lead the deputy around by his balls." Merle joked, turning his squirrel around on the fire pit in front of them. Shane stepped over by the trio, a serious look on his face. "See what I mean?" Shane ignored the man.

"Take a ride to get water with me Nic?" he asked her. She sighed and handed Daryl her plate.

"Ya don't have ta talk ta the good ol deputy. Not like he can arrest ya." Merle's loud goofy guffaw echoed and other campers turned to watch the discussion. Nicole flipped Merle off and walked away with Shane.

"I ain't apologizing Shane." She hissed when they're pulling up to the stream in his Jeep.

When the car stopped, she jumped over the top of his door and grabbed a large bottle out of the back. She walked toward the water, unscrewing the cap before plunging it into the cool rushing water. She used her other hand to scoop some water and let it run over the back of her neck.

"Can't you just lay off her? She's still hurtin over Rick." He said, joining her with a bottle of his own. She gave him a look of disgust.

"You're fuckin kiddin me Shane. She was fuckin anything that looked her way twice. I wouldn't be surprised if she hadn't tried it with at least a few of the guys at camp." She didn't bother to hide the pure hatred in her voice. She noticed a slight blush creeping up the side of Shane's face and she sat back on the grass, tipping the bottle up for a moment.

"Please, don't lecture me. I'm not even listening to it right now. We just needed someone, we were both hurtin." He defended his confession.

"Hurtin'?" Through all the betrayal she felt, a small amount of jealousy played a part in her sudden queasy stomach. "Shane, she cheated on Rick all the time. He had to get a paternity test with his own son. Don't even get me started on what she did with Caleb. You know damn well the only thing that was hurting on her was her-" She started, jumping to her feet.

"HEY! Come on now. That's not fair and you know it. Caleb was in the past and that was an accident." He interrupted and tried to reason with her.

"Accident? You're just as much an idiot as Rick was. Does she have some magical hypnotic power between her legs that none of y'all can see how she really is?" She fought back angry tears and turned away from him, moving farther down the stream to finish gathering water.

* * *

He didn't follow her. He knew she needed a moment. They were family; he knew everything about her. Part of him admitted she was right, but she didn't know Lori like he did. Didn't know how sad she really was without her husband. She was lonely and she needed Shane, she loved him.

He finished filling his first bottle, quickly following suit with the second one. Nicole knelt to the water a short distance away. Her long brown hair fell over her shoulder like a curtain so he couldn't see the look on her face. She always trusted him, always told him the absolute truth. He hurt her deeply and it made him feel horrible instantly.

She hurt over her brother and wouldn't share that with anyone. He watched her turn cold, putting up a front so the group would think she was tough and strong. He knew she was, she always had been but she couldn't stand to let anyone see the real her.

* * *

**_1 week after the initial outbreak: Somewhere outside Atlanta in the middle of the night. _**

_Traffic hadn't moved for 24 hours. Most people who were stranded in their vehicles now sat on top of the quiet cars. People stared down into the city as they listened to repeated emergency broadcasts promising safety and life. Nicole took a walk to a small hill next to the highway. Some people set up tents in the field. She leaned against the guardrail and stared out over the city. The lights made the sky glow an eerie gray aura of light. There was no moon and the stars were distant, barely visible._

_Shane leaned next to her and handed her a bottle of water and a sweatshirt. She accepted both without a word. They stood there for some time._

_"We gonna talk about it?" He finally broke the silence. She swore under her breath, hoping they didn't need to have this conversation. _

_"Nothin to talk about Shane." Her voice was emotionless._

_"Don't give me that shit. You kissed me." He turned to face her. _

_"And you kissed me back." She went on the defensive before calming down. "I was stupid, lonely. I was thinking about all good times with Rick and you were in every one of them. It was the three of us, always. I guess I just wanted to feel close to you for a moment." She told him a half-truth that she hoped he believed. She never had been able to lie to Shane well. He usually saw right through her but this time he didn't argue. She figured it was because he wanted to pretend it never happened, and they did. _

_"You two gonna be ok out here? Just until we find shelter?" He asks. _

_"I'm gonna do the best I can. I'm here for nephew, I need to be." She explains, repeating herself from the time they discussed this at the hospital. _

_"I know that and you're doing an amazin job sweetheart, but you kinda sound like a broken record." He puts his arm around her. _

_"I couldn't save my brother Shane. We tried but I just wasn't strong enough or brave enough. I let him die. The least I can do is save my nephew, make sure that he knows without a doubt who his daddy was and how special he was." She lets the words rush out, knowing Shane won't judge her. _

_"Ahhhh Nic, you're not to blame for Rick. You dropped your whole life to sit by his side, day after day, you never left him until you knew you had to. He was gone, too far gone. We tried." He pulled her into a hug. Nicole looked over Shane's shoulder to see Lori, staring with a murderous look in her eyes. She had blamed Nicole. Nicole had let Rick die, left him there to rot. _

* * *

_Nicole had the nerve to tell her who could and couldn't travel with them. Who was that bitch to judge? Nicole wasn't innocent. Caleb had told her everything. Nicole didn't know what she dealt with being married to Rick. They fought and yelled at each other constantly._

_She watched the way Nicole threw herself at Shane with disgust. The world was ending around them and here she was acting out her school girl crush. Lori hated the way Rick and Shane treated that woman. Nicole had always been rude and crass, not hiding her hatred for Lori._

* * *

_Nicole could feel the anger radiating from Lori across the highway parking lot. She rolled her eyes and turned her back to the woman. Shane looked back toward the car and caught the expression on Lori's face._

_"You two gotta stop hatin each other. It's not fair to Carl or me. We can't be in the middle of you the entire time." He tells her._

_"I'm not who you should be talkin to. I'm perfectly content only thinking evil, deadly thoughts on the inside, until she forces me to scream them at her." Her sarcasm makes him groan a little. _

_"You're so fuckin stubborn." He growls at her before turning away. She feels sorry instantly, that woman brought out the worst in her. She tried to fake it but Lori just didn't let it go. _

* * *

**Present Day**

The car ride back to camp was silent. He maneuvered the Jeep around the curves faster than he should of but Nicole didn't look worried. She focused on the trees blurring past them. Her eyes closed for a moment and she tilted her head back. He looked over at her occasionally, not sure what to say.

He watched her carefully, hating that he fought with her. The way her wind flew around her face, so free and wild; it fit her so perfectly. She didn't care how messy her hair was or if her hands had dirt on them. She was one of the few women at camp that didn't whine about eating another round of rabbit or squirrel and she didn't care if the water was ice cold or boiling hot, she just appreciated the chance to rinse off. The other women at the camp nagged about the source, temperature and amount of water available.

She was honest and ignored anyone's opinion of her. It was the only reason Merle and Daryl had taken to her, they saw a kindred spirit. Something about her attitude made her 1,000 times more beautiful than her naturally smooth skin, generous curves or vibrant blue eyes. He hoped that when she came back with him to King's County that day, she would wake her brother with the power of her anger. She would march into his room and berate him for sleeping in.

She tried. She argued and begged with Rick's lifeless body for weeks. Deals were made between her and the walls to bring him back to them. No tears fell until she thought she was alone. She needed to make sure Carl never saw her break. Shane begged her time and time again to let him be there for her but she scoffed at him, lowering her armor and putting on her sarcasm.

He watched her one night, through the door. She sat in a chair next to the bed and read to her brother. She read him the Wizard of Oz books. Shane and Rick had bought those for her when she was a kid. She loved everything about the story. She forced them watch it every Christmas together as far back as he could remember. It became their annual tradition, even through college. She annoyed them until they would cave and watch it with her. Then they made fun of her for crying at the end when Dorothy clicks her heels.

She finished reading the part she was on and closed the book, laying it on a table next to her. Grabbing Rick's hand, she lowered her head and he watched her shoulders start to shake, her body wracked with sobs. He let her have her moment, turning away and taking a seat in the waiting room. Something about her changed that day. He couldn't figure it out.

He watched her the same way now, like he was seeing her for the first time. She grew up in front of him and today was the first day he really noticed it. He always found her eyes to be interesting but today for some reason; they held his breath for him. Her chestnut hair looked soft and inviting. He wanted to bury his face in it. He turned his eyes back to the road, sudden anxiety building up in his chest.

Rick would kill him if he were here. Shane shook his head, blaming his moment of insanity on the still stifling air around them. He didn't turn to look at her again, even when they pulled into camp.


	3. Chapter 3

**11 years ago: Rick's wedding day**

_"Wow Nic, look at you. I can't believe she got you in a dress" Rick smiled at his baby sister standing behind him in the mirror. _

_"You're so lucky I love ya." The sour look on her face didn't match how beautiful she looked today. He was so proud of her. "You ready?"_

_"I'm nervous as hell. Shane 's betting that Lori's gonna get smart before we make it down the aisle." He looked down at his tie, trying to fix it with shaking fingers. She batted his hand away and finished the bow smoothly. They spent all night hovering over a few bottles of Jack and she knew they were all still feeling the effects_

_"She'll be there, she loves you. I'm so happy for you big brother." She beamed at him with sincerity. _

_"Thank you. I don't know what I would have done without you and Shane." He ran his hands through his slick hair. _

_"You would have shown up without a major hang over; actually I'm pretty sure we're all still drunk. What kind of man has a bachelor party with his baby sister? What a loser!" She turned away, the sound of her heels clicking on the tile in the hallway. _

* * *

**Present Day**

"You comin with us Nic?" Merle asked before throwing his bag over his shoulder and sliding his pistol into the holster he has across his chest.

"Nah, I'm gonna go huntin with Daryl. Someone's gotta bring us back some real meat." She winked at Merle as he jumped in the back of the Jeep. Daryl threw his water bottle at her, hitting her shoulder. She whipped it back at him before running off to get her hunting gear and check on Carl.

Lori hadn't spoken to her for a few days, not since their fight. It was like heaven. She found Carl at the table, working on school work with Carol and Sophia. Sophia smiled at her as she sat down with them.

"I'm gonna go out with Daryl. Please be good for your mom. I don't wanna hear that you were a pain in her ass. Get your work done. We should be back tomorrow." She hugged him close and gave Sophia a hug too.

Nicole had spent enough time in the woods with Daryl to know not to talk unless he did. His ears were finely tuned for the sounds of deer and rabbits. She trusted his tracking skills and enjoyed their time hunting. Daryl was easy to hang out with. He never asked how she was feeling or if she would talk to him.

He also didn't hit on her like Merle did. She never clicked with female friends, preferring to follow Rick and Shane around. She was suspended more times for fighting than both of the boys were. She learned how to shoot a gun when she was nine, joining the guys at the range most weekends until she left town. Even then, they sometimes visited her in the city and they would go to the range.

The two moved silently, Daryl already caught a few squirrel and she tagged two rabbits. She held out hope they'd come across a deer. Venison would be a nice change for them.

When night fell, they decided to make camp, taking turns on watch. During her time to sleep, she laid back on the ground staring up at the twinkling stars. Daryl added another branch to the low fire.

"Daryl you ever miss your old life? Before all this?" She sighed. He looked at her funny.

"We havin a shrink session here?" He asked her as he fixed the feathers on his bolts.

"No, just thinkin out loud. A night like this? I'd be stuck, in front of a computer readin and editin some poor housewife who thinks she's writin the next big teenage romance with a twist, that wasn't really a twist." She smiled at the thought.

"You miss it?" He asked.

"Not for a minute. I never noticed the starts then." She told him, he mulled over her words.

"I'd probably be haulin Merle's ass outta some bar that he got kicked outta; or bailin him out." She laughed at the truthfulness of that statement, picturing the scenario all too clear.

"So what's with you and your sister?" He asked.

"Sister-in-law, she was married to my brother; if you could call it that. We used to be close. I loved her when she married my brother. Then she started cheating on him. She made him look like a fool." She gave him a vague idea of the source of their tension. He stopped fidgeting with the materials in his hand and watched her for a moment.

"Damn, I knew she was a whore." He turned his attention back to his work. "Who's Caleb?"

"Who told you about him?" She sat straight up, turning to face him.

"Heard her mention his name the other day when ya hit her." He shrugged.

"He's gone, don't matter who he was." She sighed, lying back down again. He didn't push her to talk anymore and she slowly drifted off to sleep. Her dreams laced with memories from Caleb's funeral, the moment she rushed into the ER, Lori sitting there, covered in blood and shaking and Rick comforting her. The scenes interlaced with the kiss she shared with Shane and the first time she saw her brother after surgery, he was pale and near death.

* * *

The next morning, she's exhausted from lack of real sleep. She stretched and walked toward the stream, splashing the icy water over her eyes and face. Daryl handed her a bit of cooked meat from one of the squirrels he got yesterday. She chewed on it carefully allowing it to cool before taking another bite.

When they packed up their things and made sure the fire was completely out, they headed back out hoping to catch some more before reaching camp later today. She quietly paced herself behind Daryl as they snuck slowly through the trees. She could tell Daryl was tracking something but she didn't realize what until they broke into a clearing. A mid-size young buck stood not fifteen feet away from them, oblivious for now to the threat.

She froze, allowing Daryl to move in while she covered him from walkers. A branch snapped under one of his feet and the deer took off. Daryl fired off a couple of shots, hitting the deer but not enough to drop it. Daryl hurried to follow it and Nicole caught up with him quickly. She followed him through the woods without question for over an hour before he stopped and bent down to the dirt.

She watched him stare at the ground, gauging the tracks. She kept her distance, not wanting to interfere. Daryl motioned for her to stay right behind him. Somewhere in the distance they heard a scream and Daryl swore loudly. They both ran in the direction of the scream.

"Stay right here, I'm goin ahead a few feet. Keep yer head down and stay quiet." He whispered to her.

She waited patiently on high alert; still watching for whatever caused that scream. The woods were silent for a few minutes before she heard Daryl's angry words. She sprinted through the trees in the direction she watched him hike. When she broke into the clearing with him; she saw the deer laying there, busted open from the dead walker on the ground. Daryl and several guys from camp were heading back to camp.

She stared at her feet, following Glenn back to camp. She turned toward her tent to drop off of her things. Daryl's angry voice grabbed her attention and she rushed to the front of the RV. The campers were gathered around and she pushed her way through. A dark haired thin man is stooped down, talking to Daryl in a hoarse voice. Shane had Daryl in a hold of some kind.

"Shane, what the fuck?" She yanked on her friend's arm, trying to get him to loosen up. "It's Daryl, Jesus." Shane released the man, an unreadable expression on his face. He turned his eyes to the man who was talking to Daryl. She followed his gaze slowly, coming face-to-face with her brother who was very much alive.

Her breath caught in her throat when he threw his arms around her, squeezing her as she stood there disbelieving. Her face crumpled into a somewhat agonizing expression of disbelief and anger mixed with relief. Shane turned away, not wanting to intrude. She pulled away from Rick, inspecting him for a sign he was a hallucination.

"My baby sister. You're here." He whispered, tears streaming down his face. She smiled at him.

"Where else would I be? I was with Shane when the world fell apart, I thought you were dead. I knew you would have wanted me to stay with him." She told him unable to stop herself from shaking.

"Why were you with Shane?" He was confused.

"I came back home when you were shot. I stayed there yelling at you to wake up so that I could yell at you for getting shot like an idiot!" She slapped his chest. All the pain of almost losing him was building up inside her. He laughed as he caught her hand and put his arm around her shoulder.

"This yer brother?" Daryl asked, pacing angrily in front of them. She found it somewhat comical until he barked at her again. "He cuffed my brother to a rooftop like some kinda animal. Left 'im there as walker bait." He growled.

"Rick?" She looked at him.

"He put us at risk, almost killed us all. He was a threat and I cuffed him." Rick explained.

"It was my fault, I dropped the key." T-Dogg said.

"Just tell me where ya left him so's I can go get him." Daryl demanded.

"He'll show you, won't he?" Lori told Daryl, staring at Rick and Nicole with the oddest expression. She looked disappointed.

Rick nodded his head. Lori turned and marched away. Shane watched her go, disapproval on his face. Rick followed his wife.

"Jesus Christ!" Daryl turned to stomp away before Nicole stopped him.

"Bring both our brothers back please." She told him, he jerked his arm away from her. Her glare turned toward Shane. He opened his mouth to say something and she cut him off.

"You lied to me Shane." He turned away, heading toward Rick and Lori. Nicole headed off toward her tent.


	4. Chapter 4

She picked up the basket of folded clothes and threw it against the side of the tent. She was furious and didn't care who knew it. Shane had blatantly lied to her. All this time, she thought her brother was dead. One of the only men in the world she trusted kept that from her.

The unmistakable sound of someone stopping outside her tent halted her tantrum for a moment.

"Nic, it's me. Can I come in?" Rick's voice called out. She unzipped the tent and he stepped in, looking around.

"Don't mind the mess; my maid's a little cranky right now." She muttered, stepping over a pile of clean clothes on the floor.

"Shane says you're mad at him; said you're never gonna forgive him." He told her.

"I probably won't." She crossed her arms over her chest and gave him her patented stubborn look.

"Yeah, I get you being mad at him. He lied, but I would have too." He tried to reassure her but she didn't budge. "Besides would you have come with him if you knew the truth?"

She considered leaving so many times. Carl was the only reason she stayed. Every time she saw Lori, she felt sick to her stomach. Instead of answering, she only shrugged.

"Listen, I know you're angry but maybe we should just take this for what it is, a miracle." Rick urged.

"Miracle? Explain to me the miracle cuz I don't see it. Keep your faith Rick." She tried to storm past him but his arm wrapped around her waist.

"I know how hard this has been on you Nic. After everything with Caleb, I get why you're mad at Lori. Almost losing me and hearing that Shane lied to you couldn't have been easy but we're all together now. Try, just for me to see how amazing that is." He begged her.

"I'm here and I'm not leavin but that's all you're gettin from me. You can pray and beg whoever you want for me to believe, to appreciate this but I'm just waitin for the other shoe to drop." She gives him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. "You be safe, come back in one piece. Don't kill yourself for real this time." She turned and walked out of the tent.

* * *

**_3 weeks after Rick's wedding_**

_The circling lights of the ambulance washed over her as she ran through the parking lot to the emergency room entrance. Her heart raced and she could feel the panic rise up in her throat. Shane's voice over the phone haunted her. Caleb was away on business, he wasn't even due back until tomorrow. When Shane told her there was an accident and Caleb was at the hospital, she didn't question it. She just took off. _

_When she made it inside, Shane was pacing by the door. Rick was huddled in the waiting room over a small woman. Shane stepped in front of her, blocking her view. _

_"What's goin on?" She asked him breathlessly, searching his face for a sign. _

_"Come with me." He took her arm, leading her through a set of double doors. She looked back toward her brother who stayed where he was. Shane led her into a quiet room and shut the door. He sat down and pulled her into a seat next to him. _

_"We got a call tonight. It was a pretty bad accident. We're still trying to get to the bottom of it. Caleb was in one of the cars. It's not looking so good Nic. They don't think he's gonna make it." Shane stared at her, waiting for her to lose it. _

_"I need to see him." She demanded, flying out of her chair and into the hall. _

_Shane followed her. He stopped her as she stomped over to the nurse's station. _

_"Wait Nic, he's in surgery now. We're waiting for the doctor." He filled her in on the extent of her fiancé's condition. She stared at him, not really paying attention. Her head was filled with questions that were almost drowning her. The room started to spin and she felt light-headed. Shane caught the look on her face and reached out for her just as she started to fall. _

_He helped her back to her feet and they made their way back to the waiting room. Rick was seated now, his head hanging in his hands and his shoulders shaking. Nicole's eyes focused on the person next to him. Lori sat there, her face pale. Nicole noticed that her sister-in-law was covered in blood. Her clothing and hands were soaked in it. She had a temporary cast wrapped around her wrist. _

_"Shane, what aren't you tellin me?" She asked. He didn't get a chance to answer; Dr. Allen stepped through the swinging doors, his face grim. _

_"Shane, can I talk to you?" The doctor motioned for the deputy to follow him but Nicole stepped between them. _

_"Tell me what's goin on?" She demanded, her tears flowing full force again. _

_"We did everything we could for him." He started. She knew the rest. _

_She looked away, sitting down in a chair. The doctor finished explaining the failed surgery to Shane before walking over to Lori. He led her through the double doors and Rick didn't follow. _

_"Tell me Shane. Whatever it is you're hidin, just spit it out." She whispered to him. _

_"Lori and Caleb were together, she was driving. A truck ran a red light and slammed into Caleb's side of the car." Shane told her. _

_"Why were they together? He was in North Carolina on business; she was in Atlanta visiting her sister." She finally turned to look at him. Anger flashed in her eyes, challenging him to deliver the news she didn't want to hear._

_"He wasn't out of town. Apparently they were together all week. From Lori's confession to Rick, they've been sleeping together since before the wedding." Shane didn't sugar coat it or try to break it gently. She would have hated him for it. _

_She sat for a moment, letting the words roll through her head. Suddenly, she shot out of her chair, grabbed her keys and hurried back outside. Rick watched her with a pained expression. Shane followed her. He made it to her car at the same time she did and got in the passenger side. _

_"Get out Shane." She told him through gritted teeth. _

_"Not happin' darlin'." He answered, sliding his seat belt on. She pulled out of the parking lot and sped onto the main road. She drove in silence, rage and pain all building up inside her. By the time she parked the car in front of the seedy biker bar, she was desperate for a drink. Shane followed her inside._


	5. Chapter 5

She didn't return to camp until the smell of food convinced her to. The smell of grilled fish reached her out on her path. She had stormed away from the camp after she talked to her brother. She alternated between relief and anger.

Each step she took made her anger grow. On top of everything else, the wounds from Caleb were open and raw. Her memories of that night were vivid, as if it were yesterday. She never fully recovered from that night. The look on Lori's face still haunted her dreams. Glenn waited for her at the outskirts of camp. He wanted to make sure she was ok. She stormed past him without a word and headed toward her tent.

* * *

Shane watched her as she swept past him. He stood up and followed her, knowing he owed her an explanation. She needed to hear what he had to say. He didn't pause before ducking into her tent. She was topless, her smooth bare back exposed to him.

"Oh shit! Sorry Nic." He said, slapping his hand to his eyes. She squealed a little pulling a shirt from her bag and clutching it to her chest.

"Damnit Shane. Get the fuck outta here." Her angry tone deflated his courage.

"No, you gotta let me explain." He gave her his best no-arguing look. She pulled the shirt on over her head and turned to face him. Her face reflected his seriousness and frustration.

"I gotta?" She asked

"Just give me a minute, I tried to get him. I did. He was lying there, hooked up to those machines. There were men, in uniform killing people. Not walkers, people. I couldn't move him, I fuckin tried." He ran his hand through his hair.

"Not hard enough. Can you imagine what he went through? Left alone, not knowin what the hell was goin on?" Her voice rose steadily, her breaths came out ragged and strained. He watched her, wanting nothing more than to take away her hurt. He struggled against that idea, pushing it to the back of his mind.

"I know." He sat down in her chair.

The silence between them stretched out until he heard her breath hitch. He looked up at her and her face was buried in her hands, holding in her tears. He stood up and stepped toward her.

"You should have told me asshole." She said catching her breath.

He smiled at her, pulling her into his chest. Her hands were pressed along his ribs and she carefully slid them around to his back, feeling the warm skin. He felt her body pressed against him and he instinctively responded. His lips pressed against a sensitive spot along her jaw.

A breathless moan escaped her lips and he couldn't help himself. He kissed her roughly. She met his intensity. Her fingers expertly slid under his shirt, massaging the warm skin of his lower back. Then, just as quickly, her hands were in between them, pushing him away. She was shocked, staring at Shane with her hand over her mouth.

He backed away from her, wondering what had come over him. She was going to kill him any second. He was wrong. She closed her mouth and left him alone with his thoughts. He automatically walked over and dropped back into the chair.

* * *

**_The day they left home. _**

_Nicole raced into her hotel room, grabbing her already packed bags. On the top of one of her bags was a thin photo album she brought with her. She stopped when she saw it, carefully picking it up. She fell back onto the bed next to her and opened the book. The first page was a picture of Shane, Rick and Nicole at her high school graduation. _

_She was dressed in her cap and gown, arms around each other, laughing and hugging. The second page was a similar pose but the three of them were making ridiculous faces. There were pictures of Rick, Carl and Shane. Even one of her parents before they died. She hesitated at the last picture. A picture of Caleb and Nicole at Lori and Rick's wedding. They were on the dance floor, staring into each other's eyes. They looked completely in love. The last night everything was ok between them all. _

_Shane came through the door, his weapon drawn. He looked irritated until he noticed the expression on her face. He lowered his gun and sat down next to her on the bed. She looked up at him as if she had just noticed him. He wiped away a tear that escaped her eyes. _

_"He would know what to do next. He'd make a plan, get us all to safety. Hell, he'd probably let her bring that asshole with, just to make her happy. I can't do it Shane. If you let her bring him, I'm leavin without y'all." She shook her head at the idea and he knew she was right. _

_"He won't come with. Just us." He reassured her. The room went completely silent and she stared at the picture in her hands. He caught what she was looking at and covered it before closing it. He set it back on her bag and hugged her. _

_She pushed him away a little, staring up at him. A moment passed before she slammed her mouth to his. Her kisses were greedy and aggressive. She placed her hands on each side of his face and pushed him backward on the bed. His hands slid down her body and around to the small of her back. She climbed up on the bed with him and straddled him. _

_Her kisses grew and his body responded when she started unbuttoning his shirt. His hands pushed her shirt up, exposing her smooth skin to his touch. His fingers on her bare back were like a bucket of ice cold water. She couldn't do this now. She wanted to with Shane for so long but she couldn't let it happen because he felt sorry for her. Quickly, she jumped off of him, struggling to catch her breath. _

_"What was. . ." Shane stuttered, staring at her. _

_"We can't do this. We gotta get outta here. I'm going to change and we'll go." She grabbed some clothes and ran to the bathroom; using the excuse to change as a way to have a moment without Shane staring at her. She was embarrassed and afraid of his reaction._

_A soft knock at the door rattled her more than it should have. She heard Shane's weight against the doorway. He sighed loudly and knocks again. _

_"Nic, come on." He said gently._

_She pulled herself together, plastered on a fake smile and walked confidently through the door. He rubbed his jaw as she finished grabbing her things and threw her bag over her shoulder. There would be time later to talk about this, when they got out on the road. He had to get them to safety first. They threw her bags in the back of his Jeep and pulled out of the parking lot. _

* * *

**Present Day**

Nicole sat at the makeshift table, reading a book by lantern. The words blurred on the page in front of her. She'd been staring at the same page during most of her meal. No one bothered her and she appreciated the solitude. Her thoughts wandered to the group in Atlanta; her brother and Daryl searching for Merle.

She tried to concentrate on the words in front of her; anything to avoid the thoughts she was currently swimming in. Shane paced around, agitated. The food was delicious and the rest of the group was at ease. They enjoyed the peace surrounding them. She listened to them talk about time with casual interest. She met Lori's eyes for a moment. Lori looked lost and confused. Nicole failed to sympathize with her, dropping her eyes back to the book in front of her.

Suddenly, a scream pierced through the night and everything erupted at once. A walker came out of nowhere and attacked Amy, sinking its teeth into her arm. Nicole dropped her book and took off toward Carl and Lori. The two women pulled Carl to the safety of the RV. Nicole pushed the two of them inside and slammed the door.

Shane joined her at the front of the RV, helping pick off the walkers making their way in. She didn't see the walker limping up to her. Shane turned his gun toward her and shot past her shoulder; her head spun back to watch as the thing fell backward. Shane rushed to her side.

"All right?" he asked, his thumb grazing her cheek. She nodded in return. She saw movement over his shoulder and she looked past him. Rick and Daryl ran up the road, taking out the extra walkers at the edge of camp.

They finished clearing out the rest of camp in a matter of minutes. Nicole ran to her brother and gave him a hug, glad he had returned. She looked around and noticed Merle wasn't with them. Daryl was furious; she could see it in his face. She left her brother's side to go inside and check on her nephew and Lori. They were in the back of the RV, huddled together on a bed.

"You two ok?" Nicole asked.

"Yeah we are. Thanks." Lori stood up and brushed past her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Just a couple of things . . . This chapter gets pretty hot. If you're not a fan of smut, you may not wanna read going forward. Also, in case you couldn't tell, I'm not a big Lori fan. I don't paint her in the best of lights during this story and it's only gonna get worse so if you're a fan and you can't stand to see that side of her, this is sooooo not a story for you. Hope y'all like it. I'm uploading about 5 new chapters today. :) As always, R&R! Thanks!**

* * *

They spent the next day clearing the bodies away, burying their own. Nicole watched as Lori and Rick fail to get through to Andrea. Nicole walked over to the group. They sat discussing Amy's fate.

"Y'all just leave her alone. We're all standing here, not like we can't see if she comes back. Give her time to say goodbye." Nicole argued before walking away back to work.

She spent most of the day with a pick axe or shovel. She worked beside Daryl silently. He was pissed and she took solace in his silence. She stepped between him and Glenn when the tension came to a head. Daryl wasn't thinking straight at the loss of his brother and she understood, probably better than anyone.

Jim was huffing as he as he helped her and Jacqui drag another walker to the burn pile. He grabbed his ribs and bent over. Nicole hurried to his side and felt a damp spot on his shirt. When she pulled her hand back, it was covered in blood. She looked at him.

"You were bit?" She stared at him, open-mouthed.

"Shhh" he tried to calm her. "It ain't bad, nothing I can't deal with. No one needs to know."

"Jim's bit." Jacqui called out to the rest of the group before turning to whisper to him. "I'm sorry Jim, we can't keep this quiet."

The rest of the group rushed over, they were debating again. She was sick of listening to them argue. Rick brought up heading to the CDC and Shane wanted to hit Fort Benning. They both looked at her expectantly and she headed over to get some water. She watched the confrontation between her brother and Daryl. When her brother pulled a gun on Daryl, she stepped in. Rick lowered his gun.

"Daryl, come on. Let's go finish getting these walkers cleared. Let them deal with it hu?" The pair walked back over to the burn pile and started throwing the bodies in one at a time.

* * *

"What's up with her today?" Rick asked. "She's got something going on."

"Hell if I know buddy. Your sister's a mystery. It's part of her charm." Shane took his hat off for a moment and leaned on his shovel.

The two watched Nicole work a short distance away. She swung the crowbar in her hands into the skulls of those bit with a scary intensity. She barely paused between swings. Every five swings or so, she would stop to help Daryl load the bodies into the pickup.

"How bad was it between her and Lori?" Rick asked, shuffling his feet. Shane didn't answer him. "That bad huh?"

"Let's just say, I'm glad you're back. I can go back to blissful ignorance when it comes to that kinda crazy." Shane joked.

He still couldn't get past the tension that was growing between him and Nicole. Her hair was pulled up at the back of her hair with a few loose strands that hung in her face. He paid sudden and close attention to the details. There wasn't a moment last night that he didn't find himself staring at her tent; wondering if she was awake or asleep.

"Rick. We gotta talk." Lori interrupted their conversation with annoyance.

"What do ya need babe?" He asked, turning away from Shane. Shane watched them walk away; Lori looked back over her shoulder at him, giving him some kind of smirk. He shook his head at her and turned around to watch Nicole again.

She and Daryl had finally stopped. They were watching as Carol made sure Ed was gone. Nicole leaned against the RV drinking from her water bottle. She had a mix of sweat and water running down her neck. He found himself thinking about the kiss from yesterday, allowing his mind to wander to thoughts of what she'd feel like.

* * *

Andrea's voice met her ears as she came around the RV. Nicole watched, crowbar in hand to help if needed but Andrea pulled out her gun, placed it to Amy's temple and pulled the trigger effortlessly. No one moved at first, allowing the girl to grieve.

One by one, everyone went back to work. Andrea struggled on her own to wrap her sister in a blanket and load her onto the truck that was heading out toward the graves. Nicole watched her for a moment, taking a break. She could feel blisters forming on her hands but barely cared. With each swing she was yelling at Shane in her head. She worried she might be going crazy.

Her lips still tingled from Shane's kisses yesterday. She wanted so bad to let her body give in to him but the thought of Lori brought her back to reality. While he was kissing her greedily, she couldn't help but wonder if he was doing this to get back at Lori or if he was pretending she was Lori. The idea made her ill.

Every time she looked at Shane, he was watching her. There was a hungry, pained look in his eyes. It brought images of what the hot, angry kisses she craved would taste like. She flushed frequently and it had nothing to do with the sun beating down on her neck as she worked. He wore just the right amount of sweat covering his skin, she wanted nothing more than to run over to him and jump into his arms.

She shook the thought away and went back to loading up the rest of the walkers into the fire. Daryl and T-Dogg drove the truck up the hill to the graves. Daryl grumbled the entire afternoon, yelling about karma and how ridiculous he thought they were for burying those they lost. When she finished helping Glenn, they marched together up the hill to help finish the burials.

By the time the sun set, Nicole's body was screaming for relief. She was sore and filthy. After dinner Shane announced they were leaving in the morning, heading to the CDC. He made eye contact with her as he spoke and it unhinged her. She finished her food and headed back to her tent.

Without letting anyone know where she was going, she grabbed clothes and headed down to the lake. The water rushed around her as she waded in and rinsed off. When she made it out to where she couldn't feel the sand below her, she allowed herself to float on her back and stared up at the stars. The only sound was the movement of the water around her. Sweat and dirt washed away from her and she felt refreshed.

It startled her when she heard nearby splashing. She broke her float and looked around to find Shane knee dip in the lake, staring at her in the moonlight. His face was a mix of anger and desire. Something flittered in her stomach. She started making her way slowly back to shore.

"What are ya doin?" He asked. "Workin on givin you're brother a heart attack? We just lost half our camp and you go off on your own?"

She stopped when she reached waist deep water, not trusting herself to get any closer to him. He wore a tight white t-shirt and a pair of jeans that were tight in the right places without being overly clingy. Shane always had an amazing body, the kind most guys his age strived for. Her wet clothes clung to her body and he watched with an odd intensity.

"I'm sorry dad. Next time I'll make sure to get my permission slip signed." She quickly put up her wall, not wanting him to see the weakness.

"Don't be like that. We're allowed to care about you ya know. There's nothing changed there." He argued.

She watched his lips as he spoke, remembering what they had felt like. She bit her bottom lip, fighting her traitorous body. Her nipples pressed against the cold fabric of her tank-top. She felt the tell-tale warmth between her legs despite the cool water. When she thought she might explode if she didn't rip every piece of clothing off his body, she stalked to the shore line where she had a towel and a change of clothes waiting.

She wrapped her towel around her body and maneuvered out of her clothes the way that only women learned to do when they tried to change in the locker room without judgment from the caddy teenager girls around them. She turned her back to him and didn't feel him approach as she peeled her wet shorts from her legs. The towel actually felt nice against her bare skin and she allowed the cloth to absorb the remaining water dripping from her.

As she curled her hair around her hands to wring the excess water from it, she suddenly felt Shane's hot breath on her neck and shoulders. Her breath caught in her throat and she froze where she stood. Shane's fingertips made feather-life movements from her shoulders and down her arms. She was immediately covered in goose bumps that spread across her flesh and made her shudder.

She felt his lips graze along her collarbone and she sighed, unable and unwilling to stop him. His hand gripped her hip and pulled her back to his chest, pressing tightly against her. His other arm snaked around her chest, his hand stopping at the base of her throat. Pulling her head to the side, the grip allowed Shane's greedy, rough kisses full access to the soft skin on her neck and below her ear.

"Shane." She whispered, he took it as approval and spun her around to face him. She looked up at him and saw a fire in his eyes. Her lips crashed against his and the kissing became life sustaining. She felt that if she broke contact she would die. Shane's calloused hands explored her body, the towel fell away from her, leaving her naked and pressed firmly against him. She could feel his arousal through his jeans. Her hands flew to his belt and she fumbled clumsily with his pants. He helped her as she moved her hands to his shirt, pushing it up and over his head. He stepped out of his jeans and they fell down on the sand, uncaring of the uncomfortable and public location.

He kissed his way from her mouth to her breast, mixing the kisses with light nibbles that sent her body into an arch against his own. She moaned his name and buried her hands into his hair, pulling his head to her body each time his teeth pressed against her soft flesh. He took one of her nipples into his mouth and between the heat and bites, she found herself grinding against him. She begged him with her body to give her some kind of release and he didn't hesitate.

She wrapped her leg around his waist and dug her nails into his back as he pushed himself into her over and over. Any fantasy she had of the two of them had never prepared her for how amazing this felt. She felt her muscles squeeze around his dick before she exploded, loudly on him. His mouth covered hers trying to quiet her.

He rolled over, taking her with so that she sat on top of him. Reaching around her waist, he dug his fingertips into the soft flesh of her ass and pulled her down on top of him. She fell forward against his chest as he pumped into her. He caught some of her wet hair that hung down her back and pulled it. She groaned his name and ground her hips harder against him, trying to take everything he offered her.

His pace quickened and he slammed roughly against her. It was an amazing mix of pleasure and pain. She bit his shoulder to keep herself quiet as they both reached an overpowering climax. She twitched against him and she knew her wracked body would be sore tomorrow.

She rolled off of him and lay on her back on the sand, breathless and spent. Her eye lids felt heavy and she yawned. Shane got up wordlessly and pulled her into the water to clean the sand off of them. Once in the water, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

"Wow." He finally broke the silence; they were shoulder deep and naked in the water. Shane held her to his chest and she barely moved.

"Yeah." She was speechless for the first time in her life.

Her knees were still weak and she tingled from head to toe. After a few more minutes, she felt him harden against her and she smiled. She began kissing his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself up to wrap her legs around his waist in the water. He held her thighs as their lips met again. This time the kisses were soft and slow. Nicole slid her hand against Shane's cheek and he held her so close to him, not yet entering her.

She kissed the side of his mouth and kept a trail along his cheek and to his ear lobe. Taking it lightly between her teeth, she slowly bit down and pulled away. He groaned against her neck. She enjoyed the sound of his pleasure. With her hands wrapped around his curls, she pulled his head back and kissing his neck, allowing her tongue and lips to alternate gliding across his wet skin. He reached between them and pressed his finger against her clit.

"Shane, please." She muttered against his chest, feeling the tension build between her legs as he expertly slipped two fingers inside her. He stopped kissing her and smiled.

"Please, what?" He asked. "Tell me what you want baby girl."

"Oh my God, make me cum." She shocked herself with her bold words but apparently he enjoyed it.

He removed his hand and guided himself inside of her slowly. This time his movements were methodical and slow. She tightened her legs around him as he brought her to the edge of insanity. She threw her head back, arching against him as she felt him explode inside of her again.

When she caught her breath, she laid her head against his shoulders and put her feet back down on the bottom of the lake. She sighed for a moment and then had a scary realization.

"Shane, do you realize what just happened?" She asked him, bringing him back from wherever his thoughts were.

"Oh yeah." His signature cocky smirk played across his lips and he leaned in to give her a kiss. She backed away from him for a moment.

"We didn't use anything, ya idiot. What were you thinking?" She slaps him on the chest, hard.

"I didn't plan this if that's what you're thinking. I came down here to find you. I didn't know you were gonna give me a strip tease." His voice was laced with his usual asshole charm. Typically he reserved that for the girls he took home from the bar. She gave him a look of disgust as she walked back to shore, stopping to pick up her things before making her way toward some nearby trees. She got dressed quickly and marched back to camp, leaving him to get dressed alone. She headed straight for her tent. Sleep didn't come to her throughout the night. Her eyes didn't close once and when the sun finally peeked over the hills, she gave up. She got up and started getting ready to hit the road.


	7. Chapter 7

Shane watched Nicole tear down her tent and pack her things in her bags the next morning. He still couldn't wrap his head around what had happened last night. Each time she moved, flashes of her body pressed against him, her moaning his name; it all flooded over him. Several times he had to readjust so no one would notice the raging hard-on pressed against his jeans.

He cursed himself for being an insensitive dickhead. His head was filled with regret from the way he handled her freak out. He spent the whole night in his tent, wanting to go to her and hold her. Nothing could convince him to take the suicide mission though.

Lori had snuck into his tent in the middle of the night, offering herself up to him. He turned her away, claiming he couldn't do that to Rick as if that were the only reason. Although it was reason enough. She practically begged him and any respect he had for her left in that moment. The look on her face as she unsuccessfully tried to seduce him was unrecognizable and it nauseated him. She left angry and now she was giving him the cold shoulder.

Nicole turned her back on him each time he tried to talk to her. She wouldn't let him help her pack up her things. In fact, she barely spoke to anyone. Daryl offered to let her ride in the truck with him after she helped him load up Merle's bike into the bed.

"Ready?" Rick's voice broke into his train of thought.

"As much as we can be." Shane couldn't help the irritation in his voice.

"This is the right thing to do Shane." Rick tried to reason with him, unaware of the source of Shane's frustration.

"Yeah, I get it. We're going. You don't need to tell me again." He dismissed Rick's concern and finished packing the final bags into the RV. Nicole stomped past him, heading to speak with her brother.

"Nic, we gotta talk." He held his hand out in front of her so she couldn't walk away.

"Nothin to say." She refused to meet his eyes.

"Come with me. We'll work this out." He asked again.

"Nothin to work out. Look Shane, just forget it. No need to fake it with me. I'm perfectly fine. Contrary to what you think, I ain't gonna be bursting full of unicorns and daises all the time." Her tone was casual and indifferent.

"I know you ain't fallin apart over what happened, I just wanna talk." He lowers his voice; he had never felt this level of desperation. He wanted nothing more than to just be near her. She peered at him suspicious of his change in behavior.

"Fine, I'll ride with you. I will be armed though. Just keep that in mind hu?" She turned away from him and walked to her brother.

Morales announced they were separating from the group before they took off. The kids exchanged a tearful goodbye. Nicole and Morales were somewhat close, typically going on runs together. She would laugh at his stories. He came from a large family. The two exchanged a brief hug.

Shane and Rick made a few last minute announcements about contact and the group finally left the little camp behind. Nicole rested her head against the seat and put her foot up on the door of the jeep. Her hair hung loose and flew wildly around her face. She stared through her sunglasses, occasionally casting a glance at Shane. He wanted to talk but hadn't offered up any words. Their hands sat on the seat between them, inches apart. It drove her insane.

Part of her was content in that, not having to talk about what happened. She used the lack of protection to push him away and she knew it. Last night was amazing and in all honesty, all she really wanted was to have Shane hold her all night. She pictured it, fantasized about it for so long that when it finally happened and it was so much better than her imagination, she couldn't deal with it.

She felt cowardly and it pissed her off even more. She sighed loudly and Shane turned to look at her.

"Come on Nic, don't be mad baby girl." He drawled.

She hated when he pulled his "aww shucks, I'm just a Southern country boy and you gotta agree with me cuz I didn't know no better," act on her. She hated it even more when her body and heart betrayed her by falling for it. She found herself fighting this strange and slightly psychotic urge to curl up next to him and feel his arm around her. These were foreign thoughts to her. She quickly hid behind her natural childish wit.

"Don't baby girl me." Was the gem she threw at him.

Inwardly she groaned. She ranked right up there with the school teacher who actually stalked Shane when he refused to call her back. That little keeper had actually used a classic "I know you are but what am I," when the two clashed at a bar one night. Shane didn't respond after that. He rubbed his jaw absently. You would have thought someone would have gotten in a good swing the way he looked.

"I'm trying here. I don't know what to say to make this better. The only thing I know is I don't want you to be mad at me and I'll do whatever you want for me to fix this." He tells her with a straight face.

She didn't answer him. Her stubbornness didn't allow her to admit she was wrong and that he didn't have to make anything up to her. She shifted in her seat. Thoughts of last night had her already wet. She was glad he couldn't tell from where he was. She focused on the scenery passing them by and remains silent. Fear built up inside of her at the idea that he would realize the control he had over her body. All he had to do at this point was inch his fingers to touch her hand and she probably would have made him pull over.

Instead, she pulled her hand away as if she had been burnt. She sat rigid in the seat and burned inside. He kept his focus on the road ahead of them until the unmistakable sound of the RV's horn gave one short blare to cut the silence. Shane brought the jeep to a careful stop behind the car Rick was driving. Daryl pulled up behind them and jumped out, crossbow in hand.

Nicole got out, glad to be away from the tension between her and Shane. She tucked her handgun into the waist of her jeans and walked up toward the RV. A very audible hiss came from the engine and Nicole knew that couldn't be good. They didn't have enough vehicles.

Shane rounded the other side of the RV and inspected the damage with Dale. The old man was irritated that he didn't get the hose he needed from the van that Rick lost on the Merle rescue mission. While Nicole understood Dale's frustration, she didn't like his tone of voice.

"Knock it off Dale. I'll run ahead and find something." Nicole's words came out a little harsher than she meant them but she didn't apologize. Instead she grabbed her hunting knife out of her bag and strapped it to her leg.

"I'm going with." She heard Shane volunteer.

She couldn't get away from him. He smiled at her as he walked back to the jeep. Her body responded exactly as she hoped it wouldn't and she turned away from him. She forced herself to think of anything other than how his teeth felt against her skin. Her skin burned bright red suddenly and he noticed.


	8. Chapter 8

Shane's confidence soared once he saw her blush. He knew she wasn't as unaffected as she pretended to be. He knew that flustered expression that she only got when she realized she was holding on to a losing argument. She wouldn't look at him, let alone speak to him on the quick run. Even when he pulled up in front of a gas station and they jumped out of the jeep, she avoided his gaze. He wasn't going to let her off the hook.

"Beautiful day." He commented, looking at her from the corner of his eye.

She rolled her eyes at him and hurried ahead. When she opened the door to the store, they heard the noticeable shuffling, groaning sound of a walker. He hurried to catch up with her as she stepped through the door. They paused just inside to find the source. Shane saw the movement over the top of the shelves. He motioned for Nicole to follow him.

He kept his free hand behind him, reaching out for her in case something unforeseen might separate them. She followed him closely and he fought the urge to grab on to her, keep her safely pressed against him. The look on her face made him realize what a horrible idea that would be. They turned down the aisle to face a woman in an attendant uniform limping through the aisle. Nicole sunk her machete into the skull of the walker with a sickening thud before he could act.

"Y'all right?" She asked, not looking at him as she pulled her blade smoothly from the lifeless body.

"Of course I am." He huffed. He watched her lips turn up in an evil grin. He found himself thinking about her lips again before turning away. They dug through the few items remaining on the shelves, looking for something to rig the hose on the RV.

He turned the corner and found a few lonely boxes of condoms on a shelf. Looking around him to make sure she wasn't close, he packed some of them into his pockets. She rounded the corner and held up two rolls of duct tape on each wrist. He smiled at her and followed as she went out the door. He decided that he had to talk to her before getting back to the nosy group. She tossed the tape into the back of the Jeep and started to climb in the vehicle. He caught her arm before she could jump in. She spun around to face him and he put his hands against the door on either side of her.

She stared at him with a hard expression. They were mere inches apart.

"What the fuck Shane?" She demanded

"We're gonna talk or we ain't leaving." He answered firmly.

"Oh Jesus, you're such a woman. I give you the chance to have an easy out on this one. You didn't have to sneak out the next morning, no excuses." She sighed with irritation. He leaned in close.

"And what if it ain't like that?" He breathed the words against her ear. "What if I didn't wanna sneak anywhere?"

Her body tensed and she shifted her weight. He could smell her scent and he gripped the door hard to keep his hands occupied. He felt her press her hands against his chest, lightly at first. Her fingers crept up toward his shoulders and he thought she was giving in. She suddenly pushed him away with a loud grunt.

"I'm not gonna be just a substitute for you losing your little fling." Her words stung.

She turned away from him again and he grabbed her around the waist, pressing into her. He wrapped his hand in her ponytail and pulled her head back so that it rested on his shoulder. She put her hands against the vehicle as his hands roamed and explored her body. She gasped when one of his hands slid up the front of her shirt. He loved the feel of her skin, soft and smooth.

"I ain't goin anywhere. Push me away all you want baby girl. You'll see." He said as he kissed the side and back of her neck. She tried to move away and he pulled her hair again causing her to moan. "You'll be mine."

* * *

His words weren't threatening or harsh. In fact, she found herself complete turned on when he said them. She knew Shane well enough to know that he didn't give up. If she put up a challenge, he was going to take it. Her skin heated up under his expert hands and lips. Deciding to play along with his little game, she pressed her ass into him and she could feel how hard he was. He knew what she was doing and turned her around to face him.

She leaned against the Jeep, staring at the intense and needy look in his eyes. She used it to her advantage, leaning in to kiss his neck and collarbone slowly. When she knew he was completely unaware of anything her hands were doing, she pulled back and landed a punch to his gut. He doubled over, cursing at the ground. She turned away and climbed back into the Jeep without a word.

When he recovered, he was furious. She watched him walk away, yelling at the air and kicking the gravel below him. He wasn't used to being turned down, especially in that way. Women usually didn't tell Shane Walsh no. She knew that. She watched all through high school and beyond at the girls that would line up to date him. He went through them one or two at a time.

She refused to be just another conquest to him. Her feelings for him wouldn't change, she still loved him. Before everything happened with Lori, she would have caved to anything he wanted. Now she wasn't going to let herself be caught up in that type of triangle again.

Shane marched over to the Jeep, jumped in and peeled out of the parking lot, kicking up gravel in his wake. Neither one of them spoke on the way back to the group. This suddenly became some kind of sick habit between the two of them. Fight, sex, ignore. It was some kind of vicious cycle over the last 24hrs.

When they reached the stranded RV, she jumped out quickly and handed the tape to Dale. She didn't say a word as she went in search of Daryl. She decided to ride the rest of the way with him, not wanting the drama. Daryl stood leaning against his truck, biting his nails.

"Dixon, I'm jumping in with you." She called to him.

"Deputy Do-Little not keeping up his end of the conversation?" He smiled at his own joke.

"Something like that." She mumbled. Rick called them both over to discuss Jim's situation.

She didn't contribute to the conversation. Jim wanted to be left here. They should just follow his wishes. The tension between Rick and Shane grew as they debated the moral aspect. She stood by, her hands crossed over her chest.

"What do you think Nic?" Rick turned to her suddenly.

"What? Why are you askin me?" She shot him a puzzled expression.

"You usually have an opinion." Shane mumbled and she ignored him.

She felt his eyes on her and she tried desperately to forget he was there. Lori noticed the interaction and looks between the two. Her face turned a violent shade of red before she stormed into the RV to check on Jim. Shane didn't take his eyes off of Nicole as Lori brushed past him.

"I say it's up to Jim." Nicole finally answered her brother, tearing her eyes away from Shane's.

The rest of the group finally conceded that Jim should make the decision on his fate. Rick and Shane carried Jim out to the side of the road sitting him up against a tree. They all paid their respects and said their goodbyes before heading out again. Nicole walked with Daryl toward the truck. Shane glared at them in his rearview mirror.

"We're bein watched." Daryl nodded his head toward Shane's Jeep as they climbed in the truck.

"Let 'im watch." She dismissed without looking.

Riding in the truck with Daryl was easier. They rode together making light-hearted casual conversation for some time.

"So what's with you and the cop?" Daryl asked.

"Which one?" Nicole knew which one but didn't want to have this conversation. Daryl gave her a sidelong glance that told her he read through her act. She sighed. "I don't know, maybe you should ask Lori."

"I gotta tell ya somethin'." He started. "Last night, I sat outside and watched yer sister-in-law sneak into Shane's tent."

"Jesus Christ!" She slammed her hand against the dash.

"Hey now, leave the truck outta this." He yelled at her, pushing her hand off the dash. "Calm down. Unless he's a two-pump chump, which I wouldn't doubt, nuthin happened. She left all pissed off about 2 seconds after sneakin in."

He didn't push his luck and kept quiet the rest of the ride. She concentrated on the passing view until the group stopped in front of the CDC building. Nicole carefully shut her door after climbing out of the truck. Shane was at her side in a moment.

"Don't do this Nic." He whispered as they walked behind everyone toward the entrance. She looked around for walkers. Daryl brought up the rear, walking backward most of the way.

"Shane, just stop. I ain't playin this game with you." She kept her eyes on the surrounding area.

"This ain't a game." Shane insisted.

When they reached the building, the barriers were closed. Panic ran through the group.

"I told ya man. We can still go to Fort Benning." Shane argued with Rick.

"We don't have the gas or the food for that kind of trip Shane." Nicole tried to back up her brother. Rick just stared at the doors for a moment. "Let's just go back to the cars."

"No, the camera, it moved!" Rick called out. He started banging on the barriers, attracting an awful lot of unwanted attention. Daryl took out two approaching walkers while Nicole grabbed onto her brother, trying to drag him back to the RV. Just as they turned to leave, the door opened, bathing them in light.


	9. Chapter 9

**Just to clarify in this chapter so I don't get any hate mail. Shane is super aggressive in the show. He's super aggressive in this chapter. Nicole protests but everything is consensual. The two are going to have a angry/loving/fighting type of relationship. Hopefully y'all like it still and I get no death threats ;) Read & Review. Let me know what ya think!**

* * *

She didn't trust Dr. Jenner from the minute she saw him. When he requested they submit to a blood test, she liked him even less. She had no issues with tattoos or piercings but shots and drawing blood gave her the creeps. He led them into the cafeteria where they sat down to a real meal for the first time in weeks. Daryl found the liquor cabinet and she helped herself to a bottle, not really caring what it was at this moment. She joined Daryl in giving Glenn some grief.

"Didn't know you two were getting so close. You make such a cute couple." Lori's words were laced with sarcasm and hatred. Rick watched his sister carefully.

"Don't worry Lori, there's still plenty of men to whore yourself out to in camp. No need to be jealous. Maybe you should concentrate on your husband." Nicole told her through gritted teeth, she ignored the look from her brother as she sat down at the table next to her nephew. Luckily he was out of earshot for the exchange.

After dinner, Jenner led them down a hall filled with rooms. Nicole ignored most of what he was telling them until she heard shower.

"Hot water?" She asked.

"That's what the man said." T-Dogg laughed as they all broke off into rooms.

She found a room with two couches and threw her bag down. The sounds in the hallway grew louder as the group unpacked and explored. She took no time in gathering her clothes and her bottle of whiskey before looking for the showers. The shower room was already filled with steam and the sounds of people enjoying themselves.

Nicole hung everything on the hook outside her shower stall before turning on the water. The hot water rushed over her body and she felt weeks of grime fall off of her body. Steam rose up around her. She reached outside the door and grabbed her bottle, taking a long swig of it. The combination of heat traveling down her throat and over her skin was amazing. She found herself relaxing in no time.

* * *

Shane argued with himself mentally as he watched Nicole turn on the water and step in the shower. His first instinct was to march over there and throw her against the wall, have his way with her. He watched her silhouette through the shower curtain and couldn't take it anymore. He stepped out of his clothes, hanging them up next to hers and pushed open the curtain quietly.

The look of shock and anger on her face almost stopped him but instead he stepped in, standing right in front of her. She opened her mouth to yell at him and he kissed her, pushing her back against the wall. Her hands flew out to the side, trying to grab anything to catch herself. Remembering her assault earlier in the day, he gripped her wrists and held them above her head. She was returning his kisses despite the initial protest from her body.

He kept her hands held together above her head and pulled away from the kiss breathlessly. She pressed her forehead against his as she gasped for air. He leaned in and kissed her again, pouring all his frustration and irritation with her into the contact. He used his free hand to push her legs apart. His fingers slid along her wet slit and he almost lost it right there, feeling how much she reacted to him. She squirmed under his touch and moved to get away. Finally letting his frustration take over, he released her arms and kept his body pressed against her. He gripped her waist and pushed her back against the wall. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled at his hair, breaking the kiss.

"You gonna stop me?" He asked through ragged breaths. Before she could answer, he slid two fingers inside of her, reaching for the spot he knew would end her resistance.

"You're an asshole." She moaned, her body slowly giving in to him. Her hips rolled against his hand and her nails dug into his back. She was close to coming undone against him.

"You want me?" He whispered, slowing the rhythm of his fingers.

She nodded at him, an almost desperate look in her eyes.

"Say it." He bit the top of her breast and she bucked against him. He pulled his hand away, leaving her panting against the wall.

"I want you. I fucking want you." She moaned before she turned away, sticking her curved ass out at him.

He didn't hesitate, grabbing both hips and pushing himself into her from behind. She held on to the wall as crashed into her. She matched his movements with insane force. When she finally exploded, she took him with her; her muscles draining everything from him. He put his hand over her mouth so that no one would hear her pleasure filled screams. She sunk her teeth into the side of his finger as she pushed against him one last time. He ran his hand down her back before pulling away from her.

She turned back to face him and leaned against the shower wall. Shane bent down and picked up the bottle she had on the floor. He took a long sip of it before handing it to her. Her breath was starting to return to normal. She was angry and he would gladly take whatever she decided to throw at him. She grabbed the bottle from his hand and guzzled more of it.

"Spend the night with me?" He asked softly as he took her soap and lathered it up.

* * *

She watched him as he washed his hair and body like nothing had happened. Her eyes widened when he squeezed more into his hands and started lathering it into her hair. Having her hair washed by someone always put her at ease and this time was no different. She allowed him to wash her body and she tried not to react when he reached the most sensitive parts.

She stood under the stream of hot water, rinsing the suds from her body. He took his time, running his hands over every inch of her body. When she put her head back and let the water rinse over her hair, he took one of her nipples into his mouth. She couldn't help but melt against him and she instantly hated her traitorous body.

Not able to stand it anymore, she pushed him away and turned off the shower. She reached for the towel and wrapped it around her body. His eyes followed her as she stormed through the door to the locker room.

Her knees were still weak but she didn't let it show until she was away from Shane. She sat down on a bench, catching her breath. Wanting nothing more than to run back to him and wrap her body around his, she slammed her fist into a locker. Her hand instantly throbbed and she cursed her stubborn stupidity. She took her time getting dressed and headed back to her room.

She opened the door to her room and groaned when Shane was sitting on one of the couches, shirtless. His feet were propped up on a table in front of him. Her bottle of whiskey sat next to him.

"Damnit Shane." She closed the door and threw her things down on the floor. Placing her hands on her hips, she oozed her anger out the best she could but she managed a weak childish fit instead. He saw right through her.

He leaned forward, placed his feet on the floor and leaned forward. He had a cocky grin as he rubbed his hands together.

"I asked you nicely. I asked you to spend the night with me. You know damn well you want to but you're being so stubborn." He stood up and crossed over to her, placing his hand on her cheek. She turned away from him.

"Shane, why are you doing this?" She sighed exasperated.

"Cuz I finally see you." He looked down at his feet. "Cuz I should have seen you a long time ago."

She walked away from him, grabbing the bottle and sitting down on the couch.

"And I'm supposed to believe that you suddenly 'seein' me doesn't have anything to do with the fact that you and Lori just ended? I know she came to see you last night." She could feel her buzz getting stronger with each sip.

"I was stupid, I never shoulda been with her. I honestly thought she loved me." He chuckled at the thought.

"Did you love her?" Nicole asked not really looking forward to the answer.

"Naw. I mean I wanted to. I told myself I did, but each time we were together, each time she said it to me I saw Rick, Caleb and you." He still stood in the same spot. She didn't know what to say.

He sat down next to her on the couch and despite her mental resistance; she couldn't help but crawl over to him. He held out his arm to her, pulled her into his chest. She laid her head on his shoulder and listened to his breathing.

* * *

_**The day of Caleb's Funeral**_

_She struggled through the wake and service. People she barely knew came to her and paid her respects. During the wake, she stood at his coffin, staring at him. She hid her anger and pain, keeping herself composed as the grieving fiancé. When Rick showed up, he stood by her side. He put his arm around her and whispered into her ear reassuring her. As much as they had fought over the last week, she was partially grateful for his presence, until Lori walked in._

_"What is she doing here?" Nicole asked through gritted teeth. She was furious._

_"I don't know. She was supposed to stay home. I told her this wasn't a good idea." Rick rushed over to Lori. Nicole stepped behind him to follow until she felt a hand on her arm. Shane stopped her._

_"I'll take care of it. You go sit down." He walked toward Rick and Lori who were arguing. Nicole watched through blurred vision as Shane whispered something in Lori's ear and led her quietly to the door. Rick returned to sit down next to her._

_"I'm sorry Nic. She left." He whispered as he put his arm around her._

_She flinched away from him. He forgave Lori, took her back. He even blamed himself. She couldn't stand to listen to him tell her that if he had paid more attention to his wife, loved her more that none of this would have happened. The heat in the building, the thoughts flowing through her head and her own anger made her dizzy. She stood up to go outside. Rick tried to follow her and she held up her hand._

_"Just five minutes. Give me five minutes." She gave him a desperate look before going outside. A couple of people stood outside the door, smoking a cigarette. She gave them a weak smile as they gave her a look of sympathy._

_"How ya feelin?" Shane turned the corner from the parking lot after taking Lori to her car._

_"I seriously wish people would stop asking me. They really don't wanna know the answer." She told him. He put his arm around her and they walked over to a nearby bench._

_"I wanna know the answer." He assured her._

_"I wanna punch him. I just want to march in there and scream and yell at him. HE CHEATED ON ME WITH MY SISTER-IN-LAW!" Her words came out louder than she meant. "He made a fool outta me, they both did. I can't stand the sight of either one of them. But I can't even tell him that cuz she killed him." The tears flowed for the first time since they left the hospital. She spent the last week throwing herself into funeral arrangements and convincing his parents she was fine. His mom and step-dad were beside themselves and she couldn't bear to tell the sweet couple the real story behind his death. They stuck with the story that he was coming back from business early to surprise her and they had the accident._

_"When everyone leaves, go in there and punch him." Shane's face was so serious she couldn't help laugh at him._

_It felt good and horrible all at the same time but she couldn't stop. Caleb's step-sister came out of the funeral home to check on Nicole. Shane tightened his arm around Nic's shoulders and pulled her into him so that the young girl wouldn't see her laughing during the difficult time. The girl went back inside, her head down._

_"She's gone. We're good." He loosened his grip and Nicole moved away, wiping away her tears._

_"I love you Shane. I don't know what I would have done without you this week." She told him. "You can't tell Rick but I'm leaving. I got accepted a few months ago to University of Georgia. I wasn't sure I wanted to go but I think I have to now. I can't stay here and be remembered as the girl who belongs on a Jerry Springer episode."_

_"No one will ever think that about you." He ran his hand through her hair and she leaned into his chest. She listened to his breathing and relaxed against him. This was safety, home. She hadn't thought what it might be like to leave Shane._

_"I do. Every time I look at her or go to the bar. I'll think it every day I'm here. I gotta go. 4 years and I'll be back." She told him._

_"You know it doesn't matter if you ran off to Chicago, I'll come visit you every chance I get. Rick and me." He reassured her, still stroking her hair. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Shane's cologne had always made her melt and this time she let it. They didn't go back inside. When people asked where she disappeared to, she told them she just couldn't take it. They didn't question it. Two weeks after the funeral, she went off to college. A month later, Rick called her and told her the news; Lori was pregnant, almost four months pregnant._

* * *

**Present Day**

He felt the wetness of her tears against his chest. She sat up quickly, trying to hide her face from him. She hated to admit when she was crying or feeling anything. He sat up and moved in close to her.

"Nic, I fucked up. I shouldn't have been with her and if I had any clue that Rick survived that hospital, I wouldn't have done it. I was weak and stupid." He told her, hoping she'd understand. She didn't say anything and he didn't know what else to say. "I'm gonna run and get some water. You want?" She nods at him.

He closed the door quietly behind him and made his way back to the cafeteria. When he passed the rec room, he saw Lori in a short night shirt looking through the bookshelf. She had a glass of wine in her hand. She turned and saw him as he tried to duck away.

"Shane?" She asked.

"Yeah, just getting some water." He backed up and stood in the doorway, watching her cautiously.

"We should talk." She said. "I wanna talk to you."

"No need Lori. Nothing really left to say." He looked down at his hands.

"You can't just dismiss me like that. You love me." She sounded like she was going to cry.

"No, I don't think so. I wanted to and I tried to but I just couldn't." He shook his head at her.

"Don't fucking lie to me. You're just worried about Rick. He doesn't have to know." His disgust grew with every word.

"No, I'm not worried. Nothing's going on. It happened and now it's done." He finally looked up at her again. She stood up and walked over to him. She placed her hand on his chest for a moment, running a finger along the chain he wore. "Lori, don't. Go back to your husband. Be his wife."

Tears fell down her cheek. She tried to press her body against his but he pushed her away. A look of fury rushed through her face. She reached back and slapped him, digging her nails into his cheek. He almost hit her back but instead brought his hand to the wound, feeling the wet blood oozing out. He laughed angrily and turned away, heading straight to the kitchen.


	10. Chapter 10

When he returned back to Nicole's room, she was already getting her bed set up on the couch. She turned to look at him.

"OH MY GOD Shane. What happened?" She rushed over to him and inspected his cheek.

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." He quoted, rubbing the tender area.

"Lori?" She asked. When he nodded she tried to open the door. He placed his hand over the handle, closing it again.

"She ain't worth it. Come on, we need to get some sleep. Safest sleep we've gotten in a while." He moved over to the couch and started undoing all the work she just finished. He tore the cushions off the couch and threw them on the floor along with blankets and pillows. He made a makeshift bed for both of them and sat down.

"What are you doing?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Come on. Get over here. Just sleep if ya want." He patted the spot next to him. She hesitated for a moment before walking over and dropping to the floor with him. She laid back and crossed her arms behind her head.

He leaned over her and gave her a soft, sweet kiss. It was so unlike the other kisses they shared recently. She placed her hand against his neck. He stretched out beside her body and hovered over her. She kissed him passionately but gently. He returned the affection, wanting to spend the night like this.

* * *

The kisses seemed endless and as tired as she was, she didn't want it to end. His hand rested on her hip. The warmth sent ripples through her body. She pulled away from him for a moment and looked up into his eyes. The necklace she gave him for 18th birthday hung from his neck, slowly swinging back and forth. She put her hand up to it and held the charm for a moment.

"You still wear this?" She asked

"You kidding, I never take it off." He leaned back a little, looking down at the pendant.

"It took me weeks to find one. Apparently all the girls in school wanted to wear the jersey number of a certain varsity superstar." She laughed at the memory.

"Except you." He mussed, staring down at her. She blushed furiously. "What is that all about?"

"Nothing." She tried to kiss him again and he backed away.

"You forget how well I know you." He waited for an answer.

"Surprised you didn't notice during your shower assault." She commented before she pulled her shirt up a little revealing an elaborate tattoo. He stared at it and then looked back at her. The tattoo was a quote she often used. It stated "we all must make the choice between what is right and what is easy." Below that was the number 22 in Roman numerals.

"When did you get that?" He asked as he slid his fingertip over the lines.

"When I knew I was leaving for college. It was hard Shane. Leaving you and my family. I knew I had to do it but it wasn't easy. I needed a reminder that no matter what, I had a home to go back to you. I knew you'd take me in no matter what." She told him. "You were my true north."

"And now?" he asked, looking at her face now.

"Now, I'm confused. I wanted you for so long, most of my life I fantasized that you would come to your senses and forget about those other girls, realize how perfect I was for you. When I got older, I just dealt with it, moved on. Doesn't mean I ever got over my crush. Now, after everything that's happened, I don't know if I can do this." She confessed.

He didn't say anything in return, just kissed her. She twisted her hand into his hair and kissed him deeply. His hand ran down the length of her body, stopping at her waist. She moved her leg to the side, giving him full access. He didn't hesitate, slipping his hand under the waistband of her pants and pulling them off. He kissed along her collarbone and down to each of her breasts giving them equal attention. She arched her back off the floor when he took one of her nipples between his lips and sucked hard.

He made his way down to the sensitive area under her breast and to her stomach. She giggled and moved away from him. He looked up at her with a sexy half-grin before finishing his path to her tattoo. His lips felt like velvet against her skin. He traced the outline of the words with his tongue and she closed her eyes.

She felt his breath on her thighs and her eyes shot open. His lips grazed against her thigh and he kissed his way up. By the time he reached his destination, she was beyond wet.

"Mmmmm baby girl." He moaned before his tongue flitted against her clit. She brought her knee up next to his head and gripped the sheet below her. He continued kissing her most sensitive areas and she begged him breathlessly for more.

She bucked against his mouth as she convulsed in a powerful orgasm. She groaned his name loudly. He let her recover as he brought himself back up to lay next to her. She attacked him, pushing him on to his back and throwing her leg over his waist. Her hands fumbled with his belt until she finally was able to pull it off. He helped her pull his pants off. She sat on top of him, not ready to give in quite yet.

He ran his hands up and down her body as she ground her wetness against his hard member. She was surprised when he moved her to the side for a moment and reached for his bag. From an inside pocket he pulled out a condom and showed it to her.

"Thought I should pick some up, just in case." He told her as she leaned over to kiss him.

"How very boy scout of you deputy." She answered kissing him again.

She straddled him again after he slides the condom on, this time he stays sitting up and leans against the couch behind him. She hovers over him and guides him slowly into her, working her muscles against him and grinding into his lap. Her hips rolled over him, making him moan her name breathlessly. He grabbed her ass and pulled her down with each thrust. She kissed his neck and chest hungrily, feeling the climax building inside her. He wrapped her up in his arms and pulled her against him. She thrust down on him one more time and they both collapsed in ecstasy.

"See you don't have to attack me in a shower." She giggled as she moved away from him.

He laid back down and pulled her body to him. She rested her head on his chest and fell asleep listening to the sound of his heart.


End file.
